Several sources close to the talks told POLITICO that since the breakdown, labor, business and staff have worked to iron out some of the biggest issues, including wages and whether construction industry workers would be exempt from the program.

Of course, the Gang of Eight members have said that no deal is done until they agree on everything.

Sen. Charles Schumer told reporters in Nogales, Ariz., on Wednesday that the negotiators were on track and had 90 percent agreement on the entire package, which will include a pathway to citizenship and border security.

“The bottom line is we are very close. I’d say we are 90 percent there,” Schumer said. “We have a few little problems to work on … but we’re very hopeful that we will meet our deadline.”

One labor source said their side has become more encouraged that an agreement was within reach late this week. The source noted that the building trade issue – unions have been arguing from the start that the construction industry should receive an exemption or at least a cap in visas – is not the only item still outstanding.

But the groups have made significant progress on the wage issue that jeopardized the talks last Friday, according to sources familiar with the process.

The unions opposed a business-backed plan to bring in many of the temporary workers at the lowest wage rate. In the last few days, all sides have coalesced around a proposal requiring that the visas are distributed more evenly across wage levels so that the median wage of all temporary workers is closer to what the union has been demanding, according to one source.

The program would allow businesses bring in up to 200,000 low-skilled workers annually, depending on economic conditions.

“Ultimately the final decisions will be made by the Senators involved,” said Randy Johnson of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Tamar Jacoby of ImmigrationWorks USA said that Republican lawmakers are feeling the pressure to get an agreement.

“The urgency to get reform is driving them to move ahead even if business has concerns but there’s also the issue of who is going to stand up for this when Numbers USA and FAIR start to send the emails,” Jacoby said. “Certainly the members framing the bill will want active business backing them.”